Energy4me—An Energy Information Committee Report

DeAnn Craig, Chairperson, SPE Energy Information Committee

The higher the standard of living, the greater the amount of energy used. The primary sources of energy are the fossil fuels—oil, gas, and coal. And while other sources of energy such as solar and wind are becoming more prevalent, the importance of oil, gas, and coal within the energy mix will remain predominant for the next 30 to 40 years. You already know about the ongoing need for fossil fuels to energize humankind and how we in the industry are committed to protecting the environment in our search to produce more oil and gas. You already know about the high-tech nature of our business and the increasing shortage of petroleum engineers. But I don’t have to tell you, a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, any of this, do I?

And yet there are many people in this world who do not know this information, or about the challenges our industry faces. We, the SPE membership, need to share the information we all take for granted. That is why the goal of the SPE Energy Information Committee (EIC) is to mobilize our membership and reach out to our communities to spread the word.

The SPE EIC is focusing on three information areas for community outreach in 2007:

General energy information.
The petroleum industry and associated technology.
Petroleum industry recruitment.

If you have searched these topics on the Internet, you already know that there exists a huge volume of information on these subjects, but finding what you need can take hours. You don’t have time for that, right?

To help you find this quickly, SPE is constructing a website dedicated solely to energy information called Energy4me (to debut in fall 2007). The website will be organized into broad categories such as oil and gas, solar, wind, and biofuels, and will list SPE resources available to members and the public. The site will offer materials targeted to age-specific audiences.

At this year’s SPE EIC meeting, I voiced an idea that had been on my mind for quite some time: “What if every SPE member made just one presentation to a school or community group?” Now that is spreading the word! But the SPE EIC knows that every SPE member is very busy—too busy to have to search out the right information to develop a speech. Our aim is to make it easier for each member to give that speech or classroom talk by offering prepared materials on a variety of topics. (Several of our committee members already have given speeches to various teacher groups, and these speeches are now available for anyone to use.) Our goal is to collect more “canned” presentations that can be presented for age-specific audiences. These will also be made available on our new Energy4me website.

Every week, SPE offices all over the world receive requests for speakers. Some of these requests are from primary or secondary schools wanting a speaker in the classroom. Other requests are more formal and come from teaching organizations, the press, and various government agencies—all wanting presentations or information about our industry. In the past, SPE has had no organized process to provide speakers. Two efforts are under way to respond to these requests. For the first type of gathering, a speakers’ bureau will be organized, matching local SPE members with local community requests. For the more formal, more highly visible gathering, the SPE EIC is developing an SPE outreach lecture program modeled after the SPE Distinguished Lecturer Program. These “outreach ambassadors” will be selected for their knowledge on a variety of energy topics and for their ability to speak to large groups. Their travel expenses will be funded by the Society. “Leave behind” materials are being developed for both types of presentations.

Every well-designed program requires recognition, and the SPE EIC is working that effort on two fronts. Modeled after the SPE Membership Pin Program, a recognition system for a member’s community outreach efforts, such as making presentations to classroom or club, is being developed. In addition, JPT will regularly spotlight member efforts to educate the public. Other committee projects in the works include an update of The Magic Suitcase, a Boy Scout Energy Merit Badge, and updated information (on the new website) on petroleum engineering schools and scholarships.

As you can see, the SPE EIC is a very busy committee. I want to take a moment to recognize the SPE members on the committee and the companies supporting them: Alan Dick (Simmons & Co.), Franklin Boitier (Total), Alberto Sampaio de Almeida (Petrobras), William Pike (Hart Energy Publishing), Jeanne Perdue (Zeus Development Corp.), Robert Chase (Marietta College), Christine Bourgeois (Chevron), and Lyn Arscott, Consultant. The SPE staff who are helping so tirelessly to move this effort forward include Mark Rubin, Georgeann Bilich, Margaret Watson, Glenda Smith, and Victoria Simpson. I also want to thank my company, Chevron, for supporting my efforts on this committee.

I look forward to sharing the committee’s progress, announcing even more innovative energy information projects and the latest news on SPE members and their energy education outreach efforts. Remember: SPE needs all of its members to spread the word on energy.